


In Paradise there are no stories

by Magneion



Category: The Gentlemen
Genre: M/M, cinema script
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:27:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22669282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magneion/pseuds/Magneion
Summary: [LIGHT SPOILERS] After he caught up on Fletcher getting out of Miramax, Ray get to deal with the aftermath of the "Matthew" incident.
Relationships: Fletcher/Raymond
Comments: 12
Kudos: 116





	In Paradise there are no stories

**Author's Note:**

> Light spoilers alert for the movie "The Gentlemen" (2020).  
> Consider this fiction as a love letter to Guy Ritchie & Rian Johnson. I love their work so much!  
> Title inspired by Margaret Atwood, "The Blind Assassin" : “Happiness is a garden walled with glass: there's no way in or out. In Paradise there are no stories, because there are no journeys. It's loss and regret and misery and yearning that drive the story forward, along its twisted road.”  
> Feel free to point out any english mistakes as it's not my mothertongue. And sorry for the page layout!

BLACK SCREEN

RAYMOND'S VOICE  
I love stories. A good story gets to you, spin in your head, changes, transforms, evolves.  
You can make it a thousand times the same, a thousand other times different.  
And that's the thing with stories...

EXTERIOR - LONDON  
A black taxi passes by.

RAYMOND'S VOICE  
...you get to choose your own ending.

Inside the taxi, Fletcher, light red sunglasses on, looks nervously through the window.

RAYMOND  
So Fletcher, my dear friend Fletcher. I got something for you.

  
FLETCHER  
Oh pray tell, my love. You changed your mind?

  
RAYMOND  
_(unshakeable)_  
You know we can reach you anywhere, and we got all of your insurance policies.  
You also know that the Matthew incident has disturbed my boss's plans for the future.

  
FLETCHER  
You mean the whole getting retired thing? What do you want me to do about it? Run it in his place?

  
RAYMOND  
You're a nosey bastard, Fletcher. We need you to investigate.

  
FLETCHER  
_(grinning)_  
Can't you do that yourself, since you're so good at it?

  
RAYMOND  
_(slyly smiling)_  
What can I say? I'm a busy man. 

INTERIOR - RAYMOND'S OFFICE  
Raymond is sitting on his desk, doing paperwork. The weather outside is sunny. He doesn't look at the young woman sitting in front of him. She tangles her fingers, and looks at Raymond nervously. She doesn't seem afraid of him, not quite.

ANA  
Why are you telling me this?

  
RAYMOND  
This? What? A story?

  
ANA  
Yes.

  
RAYMOND  
I already said it: I love stories.

  
ANA  
Ok... So, who's this Fletcher anyway?

  
RAYMOND  
A cunt, really.

QUICK "THE GENTLEMEN" MONTAGE

FLETCHER  
Play a game with me, Ray.

In the dining-room : Fletcher shakes his glass.

FLETCHER  
Lovely!

In the garden : Fletcher discovers Ray's barbecue.

FLETCHER  
Oh, I love me a barbie!

In the living-room : Fletcher lands his hand on Ray's thigh. Ray stares and Fletcher takes back his hand.

RAYMOND  
I'm going to bed.

  
FLETCHER  
Can i come?

INTERIOR - RAYMOND'S OFFICE

RAYMOND  
I had him investigate a new player on the weed game. They call him Long John.

  
ANA  
Like the pirate?

  
RAYMOND  
Yes. Like the pirate.  
The thing is, we always underestimate the consequences of our actions.  
We might be one or five or even a dozen steps ahead, but fucking fortune is always winning this game.  
I'm talking about ancient, Greek fortune.  
Not money, just pure hazard. Luck, good or bad.

EXTERIOR - BUSHES OUTSIDE A HOUSE  
Fletcher is taking pictures, hidden in a bush. Behind him appears a gun with a silencer.

RAYMOND'S VOICE  
This time, it was bad.

Zoom on the gun. It fires.

INTERIOR - RAYMOND'S OFFICE

ANA  
_(distressed)_  
What happened? Did he die?

  
RAYMOND  
No. I was there, keeping an eye on him. Checking if he was to keep his word, at least for this one.  
The guy saw me, shot me. Not a pleasant feeling, getting a bullet in you.

  
ANA  
You look good now, don't you?

  
RAYMOND  
Don't be funny. Everytime I laugh it hurts.

  
ANA  
I've never seen you laugh.

  
RAYMOND  
Because it hurts. Anyway, he told me about you. Your job.

  
ANA  
_(disappointed)_  
I'm that obvious then...

  
RAYMOND  
No. Not at all. You're good, just not good enough to oppose me. No offense, that's just the truth.

  
ANA  
None taken.

  
RAYMOND  
Great. 

He hands her a piece of paper. The Daily Print is written on it.

RAYMOND  
I know everything about you. Whom do you work for, and what a arsehole he can be to you.  
I also know you're working to make Mr Pearson appear a very bad person that's to say, an even badder one.  
Everyone knows he's not an altar boy.

  
ANA  
Neither are you. You got blood on these beautiful hands.

Raymond pauses, stares. 

ANA  
_(blushing)_  
Sorry.

  
RAYMOND  
Don't be. You're right. I like you, as much I can like a dirt digger who's trying to get my boss to lose everything he worked for in his life.

Ana swallows hard and looks for an exit. The camera turns around to show the office : only one door. Following Ana's gaze, a gun is shown on the desk.

ANA  
I'm... I can be useful!

  
RAYMOND  
Of course, or you wouldn't be here. You got some serious, although metaphoric, balls.

  
ANA  
I know you know, so let's get it over with. 

  
RAYMOND  
You work for Big Dave.

Ana nods.

RAYMOND  
And you loathe the guts out of him, am I right?

She nods again.

RAYMOND  
That's the only reason you're coming to us?

  
ANA  
Should there be more? I mean, I don't like gangsters but I feel safer here with you that around him.

  
RAYMOND  
_(perplexed)_  
The fuck? You're scared shitless. Like a mouse on a date with the cat!

  
ANA  
I am!

Raymond pauses. He thinks. He looks at her, and then he nods.

RAYMOND  
I need all you got on us. Am I clear?

  
ANA  
Yes. On the Toddlers and the Coach too?

  
RAYMOND  
_(stunned)_  
Of fucking course! I want everything!

  
ANA  
Right. So what happened to Fletcher then?

INTERIOR - HOSPITAL ROOM  
Raymond is sleeping when Fletcher enters the room. There are flowers on the bedside table, and a card from Mickey Pearson. Fletcher sits, watches Ray.

FLETCHER  
_(slowly, with a low voice)_  
I don't know which lucky bastard is which  
and I hope you can't hear me because that's fucking embarrassing but...  
_(he pauses)_  
Thank you. You make a lovely target for my killers I must admit.  
Must be the golden locks of your beard... Facial hair, it gives you an aura. Dignity, poise.

  
RAYMOND  
Oh shut up, Fletcher.

  
FLETCHER  
And he lives!

  
RAYMOND  
I took a bullet for you, and you still get to torture me with your insufferable presence.

  
FLETCHER  
_(smiling)_  
You like me.

  
RAYMOND  
_(grinning slightly)_  
I don't know where you got this idea.

  
FLETCHER  
You're smiling. You like me! I knew it! Why would you play hard to get, then?

  
RAYMOND  
I'm not playing hard to get. I _am_ hard to get.

  
FLETCHER  
Did I win this time?

  
RAYMOND  
This isn't a game, Fletcher. And even if it was,  
it would be one by my rules so there's no scenario where you would come on top.

  
FLETCHER  
_(pointing at Ray while laughing)_  
You did that on purpose!

  
RAYMOND  
_(with a knowing smile)_  
Who knows?

INTERIOR - RAYMOND'S OFFICE  
Their clothes have changed. Ana is at ease, sipping a cup of tea, while Raymond is still doing some paperwork.

ANA  
I don't get it. You're lovers?

  
RAYMOND  
Can't say that when the other one is halfway around the world, getting tanned while I'm still here busy and working.

  
ANA  
He left?

  
RAYMOND  
With all the shit he stirred with the Russians and all? Of course he left.

  
ANA  
Like Mickey Pearson then.

  
RAYMOND  
_(sighing)_  
He thought he had to, but it seems that a few bribes to the right persons  
makes you dark and bloody past disappear, or else I wouldn't be here still.

QUICK MONTAGE  
Mickey Pearson and his wife Rosalind get onto a plane. Raymond waves his hand.  
Raymond signs papers. The map of the U.K. shows all the estates turning one by one to Ray.  
Raymond attends high society events, deals with lords and dames, smiles, signs papers again, smokes cigars, sips whiskey.

  
INTERIOR - RAYMOND'S OFFICE

RAYMOND  
I asked to come today because I value your presence here, and because you've proven yourself.

  
ANA  
Is that a promotion?

  
RAYMOND  
Depends on the point of view. You know you're doing a great job, and you kept things in order.  
Never did too much or not enough, and I respect that. 

  
ANA  
_(blushing)_  
Thanks.

  
RAYMOND  
Although... You should quit this.

  
ANA  
_(aghast)_  
What!?

  
RAYMOND  
This. All of it.  
_(he points at her elegant clothing)_  
I'm not interested.

  
ANA  
_(surprised and a bit vexed)_  
Well, you weren't in Fletcher too, were you?

  
RAYMOND  
_(smiling)_  
You're a woman. A very good looking, charming, clever woman, but woman nonetheless.  
I mean no offense. That's for you that I say that, you should quit all this.

  
ANA  
And go away?

  
RAYMOND  
_(puzzled)_  
No, of course not. We can work without fucking each other, you know. I did that a lot in the past.

They stare at each other for a bit, then Ana laughs.

ANA  
Right, right. Sorry. It's just... It feels like you're the only man in this world to treat me like a human being. Felt good.

Raymond sighs, replaces his glasses. He looks outside, leaves are falling from the trees.

RAYMOND  
I was planning on go for a quick trip to see Fletcher. Maybe you could enjoy the time too?

Ana doesn't answer, in uncertainty.

  
EXTERIOR - A PARK?  
Ana and Raymond are walking. The sky is blue, but they got their coats on. 

ANA  
Why did you tell me he left when you knew I already knew what happened to him?

Raymond shrugs. Camera turns around them, getting in their backs. In front of them, a tomb. Fletcher's.

RAYMOND  
I don't know.  
_(sighing)_  
That's the thing with telling stories. 

BLACK SCREEN

RAYMOND'S VOICE  
You get to choose the ending.


End file.
